Players Concerned About Bears` London Trip

Although there is no official change in plans for the Bears and Dallas Cowboys to play an exhibition game in London Aug. 3, there is concern on the part of at least some players about their safety.

Recent terrorist activity in Europe and Thursday`s bombing of a British Airways office in London has created qualms among some Bear players and office personnel.

``I`m sure everybody is concerned. I`m worried about what can happen,`` said tight end Emery Moorehead at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. ``I don`t think it`s going to be any different two months from now.``

Center Jay Hilgenberg suggested that players might work through the National Football League Players Association to get the trip cancelled.

``It`s something that has to be addressed. I wouldn`t go over there on my own on vacation,`` Hilgenberg said.

General manager Jerry Vainisi said the U.S. State Department may have to make the final decision.

``I don`t think it`s going to be up to the league or the players. I think it`s going to be up to the State Department,`` said Vainisi.

The State Department has issued no formal travel advisory warning against trips to Great Britain or elsewhere in Europe.

Administration officials said Americans should still feel free to travel but should be alert and cautious and use ``common sense`` to avoid possible problems.

In Dallas, Cowboys` president Tex Schramm said: ``The Libya thing puts a different dimension on this. The players don`t want to take chances and neither do we.``

Joe Rhein, NFL director of administration, said officials from the league and both teams would be traveling to London in mid-May for a second planning session.

``At that point, we will see what the situation is. We definitely will have discussions,`` said Rhein.

Rhein, Vainisi and Schramm were among a group that traveled to London for preliminary planning the week before the U.S. bombed Libya.

During that time, Rhein said there was a meeting at the American Embassy with the FBI and Scotland Yard concerning security at the airport, Wembley Stadium and the hotel.

``Obviously, security is a major concern for the league and for the clubs,`` said Rhein. ``There will be many more discussions.

Rhein said the league has imposed no deadline to make a final decision. All 40,000 seats for the game were sold out quickly. An additional 40,000 standing room tickets are expected to sell.

The NFLPA had to approve the game as an extra exhibition that is not covered in the collective bargaining agreement. NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw was in Hawaii Thursday at meetings with player representatives and was not taking telephone calls.